The council is an agency of the North Georgia Conference of the UMC, and was created to help churches and other non-profit organizations minister to people experiencing poverty and homelessness. Grants fund local ministries. If you would like to locate resources to help those experiencing homelessness, visit https://www.nghhc.org/resources/.

While these offerings are often designated for a specific Sunday, churches and individuals are not required to participate on that Sunday only. As a result, we can focus our giving for an entire quarter, which has helped us give our best. Here are brief descriptions of some of our major efforts:

Human Relations Day strengthens United Methodist outreach to communities in the United States and Puerto Rico, encouraging social justice and work with at-risk youth.

UMCOR reaches out through worldwide ministries of food, shelter, health and peace, especially related to disaster relief and recovery.

Native American Ministries nurtures mission with Native Americans and provides scholarships for United Methodist Native American seminarians.

Peace With Justice Sunday enables The United Methodist Church to have a voice in advocating for peace and justice through a broad spectrum of global programs.

World Communion Sunday provides scholarships for U.S. racial- and ethnic-minority students and international students, on both undergraduate and graduate levels.

United Methodist Student Day furnishes scholarships and loans for students attending United Methodist-related and other accredited colleges and universities.

Golden Cross offerings are used for health and welfare ministries in the annual conference.

Housing & Homeless funds are distributed (100%) to vetted organizations across North Georgia that provide a variety programs for the homeless.

Wesley Woods offering provides financial support for those who would otherwise be unable to afford to live at one of WW’s residences.

Murphy-Harpst offering provides critical financial resources that fund treatment for children who are most at risk and least likely to recover from childhood trauma and abuse.

UM Children’s Home offering supports foster families as well as children and families in transition.

Action Ministries offering supports families and individuals who are on the margins, with housing assistance, food and education at the community level across North Georgia. Many programs include hands-on church participation.

If you are still interested and able to give, The Advance is a catalogue of hundreds of specific programs around the globe that range from digging wells to AIDS education. Giving to an Advance program broadens our ability to act as a church and as individuals to be a reconciling, healing and life-filled presence around the globe.

Every January, many Christians resolve to read the entire Bible in one year. That’s a worthy goal, but God doesn’t require us to read a certain number of verses or chapters per day. Instead, he tells us to simply be in his Word — and thus be with him — so he can grow our faith, light our path and assure us of his love and forgiveness. God’s Word is a precious gift, but we need to “unwrap” it!

F.B. Meyer offers this helpful advice for a new year of discovering (and rediscovering!) Scripture: “Read the Bible, not as a newspaper, but as a home letter. If a cluster of heavenly fruit hangs within reach, gather it. If a promise lies upon the page as a blank check, cash it. If a prayer is recorded, appropriate it and launch it as a feathered arrow from the bow of your desire. If an example of holiness gleams before you, ask God to do as much for you. If the truth is revealed … entreat that its brilliance may ever irradiate … your life.”